Career Hub

How To Find The Work You Were Meant To Do

Many people find themselves on a journey to find that one job or that one elusive career that they are just ‘meant’ to do. They know it’s ‘out there’ somewhere as they continue their quest for a meaningful career.

But in a modern economy characterised by technology, globalisation and continuous restructuring and change - the job you were ‘meant’ to do may well dissappear from your industry, town or your country. What then..?

That’s when the notion of finding that one job/career you were ‘meant’ to do comes into question. And why I don’t really think there really is one single job we’re ‘meant’ to do. Even if there were, the modern reality is that it’s unwise to pin your career on the one job anyway - as it may well dissappear.

Instead, I think that we’re all equipped with a specific set of talents and unique abilities that, once discovered, allow us to apply them in any number of roles and vocations. It’s the application of those talents in the service of something that is bigger than ourselves that creates meaning.

The key to finding meaning, is to discover those natural talents and then find people, organisations or a cause that can benefit from those talents - rather than a specific ‘ideal job’. When you do that, you stop the search for the ‘one perfect job’ and instead create a career filled with a string of meaningful roles.

BUT, it’s worthwhile mentioning that ‘meaning’ doesn’t necessarily have to come from your work - it can come from elsewhere - your homelife, your family, your community, your religion, your hobbies, interests etc. If that’s the case, you may need to restructure your work life to give you the time, money and resources to achieve meaning elsewhere.

By Sital Ruparelia from  6 Figure Career Management

Oh, Say Can You See...

Last evening over on Twitter, I posted:

"Someone actually said this to me today: I didn't know that the 4th of July is aka Independence Day."

It reminded me, once again, about not assuming anything. That said, let's just assume that you're going on an interview today, tomorrow or Monday; the 4th of July is a popular topic right now. Further, let's just assume that the hiring manager should happen to randomly ask you one, or more, of these questions during your interview:

1. Tell me about the Declaration of Independence and what it means to you and your career, to date?
2. Who is credited with writing the Declaration of Independence, and then tell us about your writing skills and what we might expect?
3. How many people signed the Declaration of Independence and along those lines, do you see yourself as a team leader, or a team member?
4. How many women signed the Declaration of Independence and do you prefer to be supervised and supported by a male or a female mentor?
5. What were the occupations of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence and to what occupation do you aspire?
6. See this miniature flag on my desk? How many stripes does it contain and how do you feel about follow-up and details?
7. In what year was the current USA flag conceived and by whom and then share with us how you integrate creativity and innovation into your daily work life?
8. Tell us how many stars there are in the USA flag; do you think you are a star quality candidate and what number would you affix to you and your brand on a scale of 1-10 -- (1 poor and 10 perfect)?

Have a safe, happy and wonderful Fourth of July holiday!

cross-posted at billiesucherblog

"Man In The Mirror"

I'm Gonna Make A Change; For Once In My Life; It's Gonna Feel Real Good, Gonna Make A Difference, Gonna Make It Right...

Michael Jackson ~ "Man In The Mirror"

Since hearing the sad news last week, I have been listening to Michael Jackson's music. And with each of his songs, I am reminded of something going on somewhere in my life where his music was a part of it. Take this song "Man In The Mirror", for instance. After reading the lyrics a few times, I started thinking about all the questions this particular song evokes...maybe there is no better time than now to consider some of them as it pertains to you and your career:

~ Do you need to make a change for once in your life? And even if it may not feel real good, will you make it anyway?

~ How can you make a difference with just a little change?

~ What are needs that you are pretending not to see?

~ Who can help you make it right?

~ What ways do you need to change?

~ How can you make the world a better place?

~ When you take a look at yourself, what do you see?

~ What message has become clear to you when you look at yourself in the mirror?

~ What, if anything, have you closed your heart and mind to?

~ What is the change you can make today to make the world a better place?

Are you going to start with the Man In the Mirror, asking him to change his ways?

posted by: billiesucher

The Changing Face of Careers and Work

Change happens constantly in the world of work, it seems ever more rapidly. Remember when the Internet and email began to surface in your job function or job search about 10-15 years ago. After that came social networking via Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. It seemed like we all needed to make quantum leaps in our thinking and actions to adjust.

Well, hang on to your laptops because the changes that are coming are going to require forethought in career planning and in job search management. Better to get some advance notice, is my motto. So, here is a list of 10 key new-world-of-work factors, along with some interesting stats, as described in the Time magazine article The Future of Work:

1. High Tech, High Touch, High Growth
According to McKinsey & Co. (mega-consulting firm), 85% of jobs created between 1998 and 2006 involved knowledge work, like problem-solving and strategizing. For the next 7 years, the US Department of Labor predicts that IT jobs will grow 24% - twice the normal job-growth rate.

2. Training Manager to Behave
Were business management schools the breeding ground for unethical management practices that led to the downfall of the economy? Or was it simply personal greed and bad debt on the part of a few? The debate rages on in this section of the article.

3. The Search for the Next Perk
Be prepared - companies are cutting benefits left and right. While companies' healthcare spending rose 29% over the last 5 years, employees have seen their financial responsibility for healthcare increase 40% over that same period.

4. We're Getting Off the Ladder
The bottom line for the company is saving money. So if telecommuting can cut payroll costs by 10% and real estate costs by 20% as some studies suggest, then companies may just sign on for this style of workplace management. Certainly reducing hours and unpaid furloughs are already the norm. Similarly, moving employees laterally to fill gaps in the workforce can improve many companies' need for gazelle-like flexibility and responsiveness. The career ladder may become an antique!

5. Why Boomers Can't Quit
Again, it is all about the money. The boomers retirement plans have hit a snag in the road with the economic downturn. T. Rowe Price predicts that the oldest of the boomers will have to work nearly 9 more years before they can retire.

6. Women Will Rule Business
Research think tank Catalyst found that of the 353 Fortune 500 companies they studied, those with the most women in the senior management team had more than a 30% higher return on equities (ROE). With their collaborative management style, emotional intelligence, higher education levels, and purchasing power, women are positioned to play a major role in management.

7. It Will Pay to Save the Planet
The US Conference of Mayors reports there are more than 750,000 green jobs currently in the US, and that green-jobs growth could account for up to 10% of all job growth over the next 30 years.

8. When Gen X Runs the Show
A managing partner at Global Lead (consulting firm to companies like PepsiCo) anticipates that by 2019 the Gen Xers will be in charge in the workplace and "big changes" will come. One of the essential elements for managers and leaders will be cultural sensitivity and know-how in managing and motivating multi-cultural, and often virtual, teams.

9. Yes, We'll Make Stuff
While the US remains the world's largest manufacturer (according to UN statistics), manufacturing employment has plummeted. Technology has boosted efficiency and workers
responded with higher productivity, which resulted in unemployment for many. But jobs involving the absolute need for quality, product safety, or keeping trade secrets will continue to make the US their home.

10. The Last Days of Cubicle Life
Here's some good news: commuting to a cubicle 5 days a week to do mundane processing
of words or numbers will become a thing of the past, according to author and blogger Seth Godin. He says "most of the best jobs will be for people who manage customers, who organize fans, who do digital community management." "Brilliant designers, energetic brainstormers, and rigorous lab technicians" will also be doing essential work.

Read the full article and consider the implications of this new world of work for both your career and your future job searches. Will this influence your next career move?

Adapting to change is a critical skill and one that needs to constantly be nurtured. Part of that ability is knowledge for sound decision-making. Mull over the changing nature of work and "mine" for the golden nuggets of information that can serve as guides for your career planning.

Cross-posted at Career Goddess Blog

Using Social Media as a Career Management Tool

I just finished attending a very informative webinar on social media offered by SelfGrowth and presented by its founder, David Riklan. A simple definition of social media is that it is "massive information sharing and and communication on the Internet." Social media tools are key to building your online presence and brand.

 

There are 5 main tools highlighted in the seminar that appear to be especially effective for business owners and individuals (particularly executives and professionals) looking to proactively manage their careers. These are Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Blogging, and Twitter. According to Riklan, there are 112 million blogs on the Web, 200 million Facebook members, 13 billion views of YouTube per month, 36 million business people on LinkedIn, and 8 million users of Twitter (growing at an astounding 40% per month).

 

A quick and relatively easy way to start would be with LinkedIn, Blogging, and Twitter (which is really mini-blogging in 140 characters or less). Then, to maximize online exposure, incorporate Facebook, and if you are more adventurous, add YouTube to your personal branding strategy. Major corporations, small to mid-sized businesses, entrepreneurial start-ups, and individuals looking to position themselves as experts in their fields of expertise are all branding themselves effectively using some or all of these tools.

 

As part of your career management strategy, the key goal of maintaining an online presence through social media sites is to position yourself as an expert in your field. A prerequisite to doing this is to firstly determine how you are going to brand yourself, and then create a profile that matches your brand or message. Next you'll create accounts at all the major places where you can brand yourself (for free), including establishing a blog (also free at places like Google's Blogger.com). Then develop a social bookmarking strategy (on places like Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon) both as a tool for driving traffic to your blog and your presence on these sites, and for keeping your knowledge up to date. To leverage SEO (search engine optimization) and drive traffic to your presence on each social media site, interlink among your pages or profiles on the various sites.

 

The next step is to develop a strategy for using video. This may be scary to you (it is to me), but for some it's going to be a natural and the most effective tool of them all. I'll explore this strategy further in another post, probably after I have taken the plunge myself. (I hope you're not holding your breath.)  ;-)

 

In order to make all of this work, you must be active on all the sites and establish yourself as a voice for your industry. To increase visibility, participate in or start groups on the various sites. Monitor what's going on in your industry (via the bookmarking strategy you implemented above) and continually add brief posts, comments, etc. on the sites regarding what you learned. Answer questions on Q&A forums. And remember the most important rule of networking and business/social interation: GIVE, GIVE, GIVE. To paraphrase the great Zig Ziglar: "You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough people get what THEY want."

 

Posted by Laurie Smith

What Michael Jackson, The Brand Icon, Can Teach You About Personal Branding

 There was an article posted by on the Harvard Business Review How Michael Jackson Became a Brand Icon and interestingly it's author John Quelch kicked off with the following comment;

"Countless books advise how to build your personal brand. Michael Jackson was so unique that he cannot realistically serve as anyone's role model in that effort"

But, I beg to differ, the fact is Michael Jackson was a personal brand and countless thousands of fans looked to him for inspiration and direction. So let's take John's Top Ten Factors and see how Jackson's brand can apply to your personal brand.

1. Start Early - even more critical now than when Jackson started his career. The world of work has changed forever and sooner that you start managing your career (or business) through personal branding the better.

2. Let Go- it is highly unlikely that staying at one company is going to happen in your career - so be prepared to make the move and be proactive about it - better that than get the call to the bosses office. Some of the most successful companies were started in a recession too - so let go and go for it.

3. Break Out - the day of the traditional resume and cover letter have gone. There are a myriad of other media available to you to get your message out there and in front of your target audience - if its relevant to them it will work.

4. Get help- develop your board of trusted advisors, ask for help and insight and when you need to, ask your network - but be sure you have been helping them along the way too.

5. Be visible- you are not going to have to moonwalk in to an interview or business meeting, or wear just one glove, but what you wear and how you act all says something about your brand. Make it distinctive and memorable - but it must feel right to you.

6. Go global- now even more than ever the competition for your next opportunity is not in the cubicle next to you - it could be half way around the world. Make sure that your reach is equally global - social networking sites, blogs and general web presence can do that - build your on-line brand.

7. Crown Yourself - 'King' might be pushing it a little too far, but leading authority on IFRS is not. Take your expertise or develop one and become known as the go to person for advice and insights.

8. Be vulnerable - it is great to have all the necessary skills and attributes expected to be a top performer in your industry / vocation - but if you do not show your emotional side you might be accused of being one dimensional - nothing wrong in being the fun accountant or caring IT manager.

9. Give back - community and causes are all part of who you are, your personal brand foundation should include a vision for the world that is bigger than you - what is your purpose in helping effect that vision? It might well include giving back.

10. Die Young- certainly not literally. But you should constantly be reviewing and refining your brand and sometimes that might include reinvention too.

Cross posted on The Personal Branding Blog and Reflections of a Square Peg

Death of Three Personal Brands

This week marked the death of three personal brands, Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Ed McMahon.

What do you remember about each? Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was one of the all-time chart-toppers and had a short resurgence from the movie, "13 Going on 30" with Jennifer Garner. Farrah ranked No. 1 in TV Guide's "TV's All-Time Sexiest Women" - based on her "Charlie's Angles" series and that 1976 swimsuit poster (12 million sold!). And Ed McMahon, the most famous "second banana" for his long-running role on the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.

What will people remember about you? What would you like them to remember?

When watching the tributes this week, it was sad to see McMahon's final ending with financial troubles and Jackson's varied image issues.

Overall though, what do you remember most? All three were big personal brands.

Coaching Challenge: Now, think about what you'd like people to remember most about your legacy. How would you like to be remembered? Make a list of your Top 10.

What action can you take right now to move toward your Top 10? Go for it!

Posted by Wendy Terwelp

10 Ways To Thrive By Thinking and Acting Like A Freelancer

In 2001 when Dan Pink published "Free Agent Nation," it was seen as a trailblazing book on the modern workplace. A future workplace characterized by less job security, no more "jobs for life"' along with a distinct lack of long-term loyalty from employees towards organisations.

As Pink contended, in a globalised, interconnected world economy characterised with ever-increasing competition and technological advances, the workplace will never be the same again.

These forces have  conspired to make those of us in the industrialised world "free agents." That is, independent, freelance consultants - regardless of whether we're in full-time employment or not.

I've been talking about this with clients for several years, but for many people this has been a difficult concept to comprehend. Especially for those in permanent roles with no intention of becoming self-employed.

But interestingly, as the events in the financial markets and job market over the last 18 months have shown, a permanent contract doesn't mean much. And those individuals who will thrive in the modern workplace will be the ones who think and act like a professional, forward-thinking freelancer.

Here are 10 ways you can thrive by acting and thinking like a freelancer:

1. Focus on outputs, not inputs

Testimonials and referrals are the lifeblood of a freelance independent professional. You get those by being client-focused and delivering commercial outcomes, rather than just concentrating on inputs.

So get clear about the key outputs and results you deliver and become known for them. Be able to quantify them. And ensure your CV, resume and bio's communicate them.

2. Build a distinct personal brand  
 
Your personal brand is the consistent communication of the distinct value proposition you offer to current and future employers/clients.  
 
To develop a strong personal brand, you need to:  

        A) Be clear about the results your deliver and the value you create

        B) Be clear about what is different about you and the way you create those results 

        C) Develop a marketing strategy to articulate that value proposition consistently

Like any other brand (e.g. Nike, Starbucks or BMW) - the stronger your personal brand, the easier it is to differentiate yourself from others, build loyalty, attract new opportunities and command higher rates of pay/fees for your work. 
 
3. Be visible and credible online

A key aspect of your personal brand is your online image. It's customary to 'Google' people you're about to headhunt, interview or meet in a business context for the first time.

So if I were to "Google" you, what would I find out about you? What would appear on the first page of the search? Will it be in line with the personal brand you're trying to portray?

Every time you do anything online, you leave a "digital footprint" - so ensure that footprint shows you in a good light and is in tune with the personal brand you intentionally want to convey.

So at the very least, ensure you own the domain to your name and have a LinkedIn page that articulates your expertise. Ideally aim to have an online presence under your name (or brand name) where you can share ideas, opinions and expertise via a blog, articles and white papers. This positions you as an expert in your own right rather than just highlighting your employer's credentials.

4. Build and cultivate a strong network

The time to build a well is when it's raining, not during a drought. The time to build a strong network is today, tomorrow, next week. And the week after. You should be doing it all the time - not just when you're looking for a job.

And remember: networking is not about "getting" something - it's about contributing, helping others and sharing.

When you network with generosity whilst having a distinct personal brand, you attract opportunities and contacts on an ongoing basis and so avoid the typical "feast and famine" cycle endured by many freelancers.

5. Learn to embrace uncertainty

Part and parcel of being freelance is less certainty and predictability.

As a permanent employee, instead of fearing uncertainty, learn to embrace it by following these the 8 rules of dealing with uncertainty that I've written about before. Follow these rules consistently and you'll be able to not just survive, but thrive when the going gets tough. 

6. Create multiple income streams

You can reduce the uncertainty by creating a number of streams of revenue rather than relying on one pay check.

Speaking, writing, consulting, investing, trading and building an online business are all examples of ways in which you can create opportunities, just like a freelancer would do.

But as we're all now freelancers, we all have the potential to earn income from multiple sources. 

7. Be totally committed

Some people think being a freelancer is all about money. About being loyal only to yourself and just making as much money as you can.

I don't buy that nonsense.

Just because you haven't got a permanent contract it doesn't mean you're not committed.

I've been a self-employed consultant for 6 years and, yes, have been committed to building my own personal brand and my own network - and I've invested a lot of time and money in the process.

But at the same time I've been totally loyal and committed to firms which I've been a freelance consultant to. So much so that people have frequently assumed that I was a permanent employee.

That's because I don't exclusively put my own interests above those of the client I'm working with.

So what if I'm not in a permanent role? I'm still a professional. And so are you. So make sure you show total commitment to whoever you are working with (employer, client or otherwise) - and the results, opportunities and job satisfaction will come naturally.

8. Focus on "responsibilty"' instead of blind loyalty

When I talk about thinking like a freelancer, building your own network and developing new income streams people become a little concerned as they see it as being somewhat disloyal and slightly dishonest to their employers.

The reality is that most firms are being a little disloyal and dishonest to you too - it's part and parcel of running a commercial business, where the management team have a responsibilty to shareholders and the majority of employees, rather than to individuals.

You too have a responsibilty - to you and your family. So don't be blindly loyal to one firm - be committed, but also ensure you have options so that you're not left without an escape route if required.

9. Invest in yourself

You reap what you sow. If you want to stay ahead of the pack and thrive, you must continually invest in yourself, and not rely on your employers to do it for you.
 
That investment can be in the form of reading widely, attending conferences and seminars, joining network groups, hiring a coach, finding a mentor or building mastermind group of peers - do whatever suits your style, budget or needs.

10. Make YOU a priority

All of the 9 points above rely on you ensuring that you make yourself a priority.

"...but I haven't got the time"
 
That's BS - it's all about priorities - we create time for what's important. So think like a freelancer and make yourself a priority.  Because in this new world, your employers won't always be investing in you and providing you with the opportunities like the old days. It's down to you to invest in yourself and make things happen. 
 
It doesn't matter whether you are unemployed, a contractor or a permanent employee - we are all now the CEO's of our own companies - Me Inc.  The faster you embrace that concept and incorporate many of the points above - the more you will thrive in the months and years ahead.

By Sital Ruparelia From 6 Figure Career Management

 

What Is A Hidden Job, Anyway?

A question that arose at a recent networking event I attended as a speaker was this: What is a hidden job, anyway?

Do you know what a hidden job is? Have you heard the term before? By now, it would seem that job seekers would readily know this concept. Reality, as I discovered, is that some job seekers don't. Perhaps you're one of them.

Take the word hidden -- what does hidden mean? According to Dictionary.com, it is an adjective that means: concealed; obscure; covert. Continuing on with the word job, one definition of this noun, according to Dictionary.com is: a post of employment; full-time or part-time position. Combine the two words and you get this sort of definition for hidden job: a concealed, obscured, covert post of employment, either full-time or part-time.

Bottom line, hidden jobs aren't readily revealed to you. They exist, you just can't easily see them or discover them. They aren't going to come up to you and say "Hello, Tired, Frazzled, Exhausted One -- Here I Am, Hidden Job For You." And they're not going to be found on Builder and Monster -- they wouldn't be hidden if you found them there. Hidden jobs are unadvertised, unpublished and invisible to the casual observer. For certain, it takes some extra digging to find them.

The casual job seeker won't know about a hidden job until it's far too late and a hire is in the works or is already a done deal. A hidden job is just that -- hidden from you, the person who wants it and needs it. And what that means for you, the hunter of the hidden j-o-b is this: you have to be a very, very, very good and tenacious bird dog. A bird dog hunts. A bird dog tracks. A good bird dog has a good nose, a good range and good instincts. A bird dog is unphased by rejection and abruptness and rudeness and disinterest and thoughtlessness and frustration. A bird dog isn't hampered by the economy, or the elements, or excuses. A bird dog hunts -- here, there and everywhere in scouring the land for potential opportunity. A bird dog doesn't quit hunting until one of two things happen: 1. she/he finds something of interest and / or 2. the owner/handler signals that it's time to quit. In this case, you're your own handler, so it will behoove you to hunt long and hard, relentlessly, energetically and doggedly, until you find something of interest, whether it's working for yourself, or in conjunction with someone else in a more traditional employer/employee role.

Remember when you were a kid and played Hide-and-Seek? Maybe you didn't play that game or maybe you've never heard of such a game. Just as in the Hide-and-Seek game of years gone by, your next opportunity may be hiding from you, waiting to be found, waiting to be uncovered and discovered by you. And it is your mission, should you choose to accept it, to go and seek and find that hidden job -- the one that is concealed, obscure, covert. That, then, is one definition of hidden job.

cross-posted at billiesucherblog

21 Things

If you're looking for a job in today's economy, listed below are 21 things you won't want to overlook:

1. Stay open to possibilities and opportunities of all kinds.
2. Remove the boxes, barriers and blinders you may have put on, or around, yourself.
3. If you're not visible, get visible online and offline. Don't needlessly hurt your chances of getting noticed by people who need to know you.
4. Do a better job of researching than you've ever done before on any other project.
5. Let your passion and confidence ooze from each and every pore when you get a chance to tell your story.
6. Remind yourself, as needed, to stop thinking negatively and start thinking positively.
7. Think about things that matter. If it doesn't matter, don't think about it.
8. Be absurdly and ridiculously prepared.
9. Show your competence without being asked.
10. Don't make hiring managers work at getting to know you -- they're already overworked.
11. Be personable, agreeable, polite, and thoughtful. No matter how tough times are, you can still be these things.
12. If you don't have confidence, get some. If you don't know how to get some confidence, ask someone who's got it for some pointers.
13. Don't make excuses.
14. Work harder, smarter, better, and longer at finding a job than at any other job you've ever done in your life.
15. Ask people who care about you the most for some constructive feedback - and hopefully they will value you enough to tell you the hard things you don't want to hear. Hold on to the lines that make sense; let go of the rest.
16. Don't take yourself out of the game before you need to.
17. Hang out and connect with positive people who support you.
18. Be specific in letting others know what you want so they can help you get it.
19. Don't worry before you have to about all the what if scenarios.
20. Negotiate everything. If you don't know how to negotiate, ask someone who's good at negotiation for a few good tips.
21. Ask for what you want. It doesn't mean you'll get it...it just means you mustered the courage to ask and you may very well surprise yourself.

posted by: billiesucher

Is your personal brand failing to impact the competition?

The new iPhone 3GS recent launch saw two impacts - Apple dropping the price of it's 'older' model and more significantly Palm's share price dropping by 7%!

It seem's like never a week goes by without another new phone hitting the market - I heard that the lifespan for a smartphone before it becomes 'obselete' and overtaken by a faster, sleeker, more buttons and gadgets phone is about 3 months.

Is the same happening for you in your career?

Dan Pink in his book A Whole New Mind said that if your job can be done faster by a machine or cheaper somewhere else then you need to differentiate yourself right now.

This is particularly relevant now in a tight job market and where competition to remain useful and employed is becoming key. Even if the economy is showing some signs of recovery you will see it's impact for months to come - the commercial real estate bubble has not burst yet!

So if you are employed how can you have an impact at work so that your value rises?

1. Make sure you get involved in the projects at work that are going to have an impact on the future success of the company and have some senior management sponsors.

2. Look to raise your profile by attending meetings that are not directly your area, but you have interaction with those teams. If you are in finance go to a marketing meeting and if you are in marketing get along to operations or logistics - step out of your bubble and perhaps comfort zone.

3. Keep your boss up to date with what you are working on and keep track of the measures of success - what is the direct impact you are having on the business - make sure you know and then make sure others do too.

If you are currently unemployed how can you impact the competition and get hired?

1. Construct a 'brag' sheet that speaks to your top 5 strengths and how you have used each one of those in a specific situation with a measurable result. Use that as your intro career marketing document - not the boring resume - stand out, be different, get noticed.

2. Be very clear about what value you bring to an organization. They do not care what you want (if you have objective still on your resume GET IT OFF NOW!). What can you do for them? Again this needs to be as measurable and relevant as possible - there are too many others out there with similar skills, experience and education - it's not enough anymore.

3. Go where the competition is not going. Get in front of the senior managers who work with the peole that might hire you. If you are in finance do not go to all the finance networking meetings - all your competitors are doing that - get to the marketing networking meeting.

Cross posted on Reflections of a Square Peg blog

7 Steps to Creating Opportunity Out of Generosity

During 2002, I was a recruiter within London's financial district.

It was the aftermath of 9/11 and the bursting of the Dot.com bubble and so, just like the current market, it was a time of widespread job cuts and hiring freezes - so being a financial services recruiter (with earnings were linked to revenues) was not one of the most comfortable places to be. 

But despite the tough market, the commercial reality was that we just had to get on with it and find opportunities - it meant working harder, longer and making more calls and dealing with more rejections in order to stand still and survive. It was tiring, frustrating and quite often demoralising.

Faced with a constant barrage of bad news and a lack of opportunities, I decided in the summer of 2002 that I'd try something different. So I made a list of my 20 warmest clients - typically senior business leaders or HR leaders and invited them out for a coffee to 'just catch up.'

I figured that, rather than just making calls to new clients, I should be spending time maintaining relationships with existing clients who'd given me business during a boom market. And anyway, I love hanging out in coffee shops or hotel lounges (well actually anywhere with comfortable sofas!) so it would be a welcome break from making those soul-destroying calls in search of new business and job opportunities.

At one of these "coffee meetings," I met with the Financial Controller of a European Investment Bank. We had known each other 2 years. The first year we had a telephone relationship where I tried to convince him to meet me, the second year a business relationship where he gave us business after finally agreeing to meet me.

As we sat down with our cappuccinos, he seemed a little stand-offish and within 2 minutes of some small talk, the conversation continued like this:

Client: "Sital, I'm really not sure why you wanted to meet - I haven't any vacancies and have no budget to recruit. You're better off spending time with other clients who may have business, aren't you?"

Sital: "John, when we first met a year ago, I told you that one of our key differentiators was that we built long-term relationships with clients - we're not into just filling some quick vacancies with you and having a transactional relationship. So regardless of whether you're recruiting or not, I'm trying to fulfil that commitment to you by maintaining our relationship.
 
So at the moment I'm meeting with key clients with a view to doing 2 things:

1. Give you our perspective on the current market place so that you're better informed on what's happening externally. Which hopefully helps you in handling conversations internally around talent management, pay reviews and bonus discussions.

2. Secondly, it's to listen and learn about what is happening in your business, so when the market does pick up, we are better placed to help you achieve some of the things you've got planned much quicker

And the reason I'm treating you to a £5 cappuccino (approx $8 - which is what it usually cost for 2 Starbucks coffees) is that just like your sales teams, we no longer have the budgets to take clients to swanky bars or posh restaurants in the current climate. But it's not about how much we spend on clients, it's about the relationship - right?"

I kind of made up my little speech on the spot, but I meant every word of it.

Client: "You're one of the most forward-thinking recruiters I've met. You know, all the people who've been calling me the last few years when we were growing our team have stopped calling because we've got no business. They all used to talk about long-term relationships, but now they seem to have disappeared."

What followed was a great discussion, where I learned more about the challenges he was facing, offered some informal advice - and indeed got into a conversation to help him clarify his needs for his next hire - a position he'd just had some vague ideas about so far.

I was the first to learn about it as I'd taken the time to engage and help him.

As a result of the discussion we got more business, more referrals and more good will from this client - and I got it without even asking. I got it because I went into the discussion with the intention of helping the client and cementing our relationship rather than trying to get something specific.

So regardless of whether your you're a job searcher, career changer, someone starting up as a independent consultant or someone looking to succeed in your existing job, there are lessons here for us all. That in a tough market when everyone is holding back and thinking about themselves, you create opportunities by reaching out and being generous in helping others.

Here are 7 steps to creating more opportunities by being generous:

1. Write a list of your 20 warmest contacts

These may include both professional and personal contacts. Ensure you select people who you feel you've the closest relationships with rather than those you think would be 'useful contacts'

2. Contact them and set up a time for a coffee just to "catch up"

- If some of your contacts are in another city or country, then have a "virtual coffee" to catch up

- And it doesn't have to be coffee of course - meet for breakfast, lunch or drinks if that suits you better

3. Then over the next few weeks meet each of these individuals

- Some of you may want to spread this out over 3 or 4 weeks

- Others may prefer to meet 2 people a week for 10 weeks - do whatever works for you and your schedule

4. When you meet, focus on the other person (not you, not your job search, not your issues)

- Take a genuine interest in what's happening in their lives and careers. What are they working on? What are their current challenges? What are their goals?

- Ask open questions (how, what, why, when) and listen with genuine interest

5. Focus on how you can help them

- Ask "how can I help?"

- Be generous with ideas, resources, tips or contacts of yours that may be useful to them

- Do all this without an agenda - this is not a transactional conversation, as in "I've helped you, now you help me"

- Just give without wanting something back (after all, these are your warmest contacts, so why shouldn't you give?)

6. Follow up without fail

- Within 48 hours send a follow-up email to thank them for meeting up

- If you promised to send information during your discussion - a weblink, an article or an introduction to one of your contacts - then do it without being prompted

- If the other person offered to introduce you to someone or said they'd send you something, gently and politely remind them to do that

7. Write your next list of 20 contacts

- And repeat these 6 steps above once again

When you do this, a few things will happen:

You will strengthen your relationships with your warm contacts
- And we all know that strong relationships strengthen your career prospects

You will walk away with ideas
- The people closest to us want to help - but we're all busy and have our own issues to deal with, so haven't the time to think about others. Spending time with people one to one, gives them a chance to focus on you and volunteer ideas that nay help you

Your warmest contacts will have you at the front of their minds
- These people are like unpaid recruiters - they can connect you with other people and recommend you, but only if they remember you amongst their to-do list

Opportunities will come back to you
When you get out there and give, opportunities will come back to you, often from unexpected sources and, like a boomerang, from somewhere else

You'll feel better
If you're out of work or stuck in a rut, you'll feel much better about yourself and your situation. Getting out and meeting people you know is so much nicer than sitting around sending emails, making calls and waiting to be rejected

You'll get a sense of purpose and achievement
At Christmas time, parents often teach their kids that it's not all about getting presents; that real satisfaction and success come from contributing and giving, not from simply receiving. The very same principle applies to you and your career.

During the summer of 2002, getting out and having my "£5 Cappuccino Meetings" with my warmest clients started out as one of my 'coping strategies' for dealing with a tough market and all the negativity around. It kept me sane on the days I'd be thinking "when is this market going to improve?" or "why me?"

But getting out, meeting close clients, learning about their businesses and seeing how I could help them, instead of sitting at my desk making endless calls to random people, actually created the opportunities that I was searching for. And often, they'd come (like that boomerang) from other places - from people I hadn't met for coffee.

I created opportunity out of generosity. And so can you... 
 
 
By Sital Ruparelia from 6 Figure Career Management
 

Career Changers: What Do You Do When No One Is Looking?

10 years ago, when no one was looking, I'd often be reading personal development books (usually hidden behind a newspaper on the train).

15 years ago, when no one was looking, I'd be giving career advice to people twice my age (instead of doing my job).

20 years ago, when no one was looking, I'd be editing my fellow Students' resumes (despite the fact that I had very little to put on my own resume).

When on holiday, I've often been found quizzing the local taxi driver or waitress about their past and discussing their future career aspirations (..yes, I know, very sad!)

......so looking back, it's no surprise what I now do for a living.

The clues are hidden in your past

When people are struggling to make career transitions, the answers or 'clues' to what they should investigate as career options are usually found - not on the internet or on job sites - but hidden in their past.

Usually it's those activities or tasks that we have been drawn to when no one is looking that offer the best clues to the direction we should be heading in the future.

You see, when you let go of the ego-driven need to "look good"' and "avoid screwing up" you get much closer to doing the work you enjoy. The work you're naturally talented at, the work you're best placed to succeed at.

It's the work that's a natural expression of who we are, rather than the work that simply makes a buck and ensures a good self image.

So what are you doing when no one's looking?

Here are some questions for you to ponder:

- If you were locked in a big bookstore overnight, with all the security cameras switched off and no one looking, which section of the shop would you go and sit in to read? (apart from the obvious travel section that most people would wander into!)

- If you were then to move on to another section later that night, which one would it be?

- If you could read any of the magazines at the store, which 2 would you be drawn to when no one is looking?

- If you could go off and "test drive"' any job or career without anyone you know finding out about it, which 3 jobs or careers would you love to test out for a week just for the fun of it?

- If you were to ask your close friends this question: "If you had to pay me to solve a problem, what types of problems would they be?" - what would their typical replies be?

- In your last/current job, what were the things you'd do most often when your boss and team were not around? The things you did for the pure love of it?

The answers to these questions won't solve all your career woes - but they will give you some clues as to what subjects turn you on (professionally speaking) and the areas you could start exploring - whether professionally or as a hobby.

The dots join up backwards

When making a career transition it's futile to compile a detailed career plan as it's not something you can always plan in linear fashion. As I've found with my own career journey, when you make a transition, you'll find that the dots join up when you look back rather than forward.

So instead of looking forward and 'planning' a career move, look back and discover the things you do when no one is looking...

By Sital Ruparelia From 6 Figure Career Management

 

Technology Tools for Job Seekers - Part 3

Get plugged into technology tools to boost the productivity and reach of your job search. Most are free and fairly easy to use. Even if you start with only one of two of these applications and websites, you may just find your job search yielding better results than it has in months!

This is Part 3 of a 3-segment series about readily available technology that job seekers can use. While these are some of my current favorites, we all know that technology grows, changes, and even disappears! So I will be updating this list periodically. If you have any favs to add to the list, please do so in the Comments area. Thanks!

23. Tweetlater.com – Branding itself as “Productivity tools for busy tweeple”, Tweetlater allows you to plan, set up, and even automate your Twitter social network and communications. Its free organization capabilities make it essential for keeping track of tweets (messages), followers, and those you would like to follow. For example, you can track keywords (really important in a job search) and save and re-use drafts of tweets. There’s a professional version that offers even more bells and whistles.

24. TweetMyJobs.com – The world’s largest Twitter job board with the built-in capability for you to apply for a job, post your resume, get instant alerts of openings via text messaging, and refer-a-friend feature among many others. With more than 4600 vertical Job Channels on Twitter, TweetMyJobs is likely to have the latest scoop about jobs in your field or industry.

25. USAJobs.com – The official job posting site for the US (Federal) government. This one-stop center for information about federal government jobs is a must see. From career exploration information, jobs in demand, resources for people with disabilities, veterans resource center, senior executive service, and student jobs, this site is a logical and easy starting point. With Federal hiring trends and top locations hiring, doesn’t it make sense to check out if government service could be a viable career path for you?

26. VisualCV.com – This platform allows you to build and display a “visual” resume that can include elements you might include in a portfolio, such as examples of your work and even charts and graphs. It goes further by enabling audio, video, and image elements as well AND features jobs you can apply for using your VisualCV. You can also integrate your resume with social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. The examples on this site are a feast for the eyes and ears!

27. WebCrawler.com – Using metasearch technology, this mega-search engine combines top-ranked results from several popular search engines, such as Google, Yahoo!, Windows Live, and Ask along with others. Best of all, it includes images, video, news, and local information to provide a broader spectrum of search-engine results.

28. WebMynd.com – With this search engine, an Firefox browser extension, you can personalize your search to include results from sources like Google, YouTube, Twitter, and Wikipedia. WebMynd provides the search results in a pleasing and easy-to-navigate display. Further benefits include being able to search a visual history of your web surfing, share links with friends, and keep track of what you find.

29. WhosTalkin.com – One of my favorite social media search tools, this browser search plugin works in both Firefox and Internet Explorer. After searching your name, for example, you get results in categories such as blogs, news, networks (like LinkedIn, Friendster, Facebook, and Ning), videos, images, forums, and tags (such as del.icio.us, blogmarks, and faves). Find out who’s talking about you!

30. Wink.com – This search plugin is promoted by Wink as “the world’s largest people search engine” where you can find phone numbers, email addresses, websites, photos and more. You must join (it is free) to see all the search results and to download the plugin.

31. Xing.com – Xing is a global social network for professionals and business people with more than 7 million members in 200 countries. It has often been compared to LinkedIn as it has similar features, such as groups, networking events, contact management, people search, and job postings. Much more international in flavor, however.

32. Ziggs.com – The Ziggs community also contains people from around the world and allows you to build an online profile, track visits to your profile, find people and jobs, list yourself in professional directories, join groups, and connect with contacts. If you are proactively marketing yourself and your personal brand, you will want to be sure to have a profile on Ziggs as it is a commonly searched site by employers and recruiters.

33. Zoominfo.com – Build a profile here for free for great online visibility and search for people (there are currently 45 million registered users) and companies (5 million). Another easy way to boost your online identity with a strong, keyword-rich profile or add to your job-search research toolbox.

For the previous entries in the list, go to:

Technology Tools for Job Seekers - Part 1

Technology Tools for Job Seekers - Part 2

Cross-posted at Career Goddess Blog

5 Ways NOT To Find A Job

I think there's far too much talk and pressure about "how to find a job" and "how to reinvent yourself," don't you..?

Instead, how about embracing the recession and taking some time off to relax, have fun and veg out?

Just think, you could watch day-time television (Oprah, Ellen or the sports channel), go play some golf, visit the gym and sit in the sauna (but tell everyone you've been working out), play online poker, have fun on Facebook, hang out in coffee shops and "do lunch" with friends.

You could stay up late to watch trashy "made for TV" films whilst eating a tub of Haagen Dazs and corn chips. Maybe buy some completely useless items from the late night shopping channels and wake up the next day when.....well, whenever you like.

With such a lifestyle, why would you want to spend time looking for a job?

Oh yes, I forgot - it's not socially acceptable is it? You've got to at least "look" as if you're trying to find work.

So why not bluff your friends and family into thinking you are working really hard at the job searching but sabotage it?!

Here are 5 great ways NOT to get a job (but which make it look like you're trying):

1. Live in the past

To ensure you don't find a job, just stay focused on the past. Keep talking about all the things you've done, all the experience you've had. Don't think for a second that this may be futile in a new world and a different climate.

(By the way - if you decide you'd actually like to find a role, you may want to think less about what you've done and focus more on the value you can create in the future for employers and clients, the problems you can solve, the results you can deliver, the transferable skills you can offer. But if not, just stay in the past - it's a great way to enjoy the benefits of being footloose and fancy free!)

2. Play the blame game

To guarantee you can continue enjoying lazy lunches and some '"me time" (even though you've no idea what it means) just blame someone - anyone!

After all, it's not your fault you're struggling to find work - it's the government, the greedy bankers, your incompetent employers, the hopeless recruiters, your mother-in-law, the next door neighbour's dog and of course ......."The Recession" - the very best excuse for 20 years to play the blame game and do nothing!

(Oh, if you get a bit tired of blaming others and being a miserable, you may want to quit blaming the rest of the world and take personal responsibility for your situation - you'll probably find a job much faster and be a much nicer person to be around. But if not, just stay there - at least the blame game allows you to take the summer off - much more fun than working.)

3. Hide behind your computer

This is a great one. If you'd rather play online poker or poke a few people on Facebook than get back to work, hide behind your computer for 7 hours a day pretending you're job searching.

You can sit in your PJ's in front of your laptop, apply for a few random jobs, send your resume to the same recruiters and job sites that everyone else is emailing and then sit back and say "Oh, I'm working sooo hard on my job search - but there's simply nothing out there!" Genius.

(But if you get bored or broke sitting at home playing online poker all day, you may want to come out of hiding and get serious about finding work. The internet, email and social media are just "tools." Ultimately it's your relationships with people, not technology, that will help you find a job. Getting out there, speaking, meeting and engaging with people in the real world. But only do that if you really want a job. Maybe you can just stay home and dance in your lounge with Ellen? She's much more fun than working.)

4. Wait 3 days before following up a lead

You've seen a job ad or been given a warm lead. Damn it - your plans to relax and do nothing seem scuppered.

OK, here's an idea. How about you procrastinate, put off the call for a few days until you've perfected your resume or put off making the call until tomorrow when you feel better about yourself. That way, by the time you apply, the warm lead is cold, the job advert is inundated with other people so you don't get to interview stage at all. Brilliant - you can then continue enjoying some more time on the couch with Oprah!

(If, on the other hand, you fancy giving up the couch and decide to get serious about finding a job, you need to be quick. In a tight job market, speed is of the essence - so act NOW, not later. You can improve, perfect and course correct later. But only if you want a job. Maybe Oprah's much nicer than a boss so why bother hey?)

5. Be desperate

This one always works. Be really really desperate, needy and annoying. Just enough so that it puts people off. That way you can look like you're trying really hard but just not getting the breaks. That way you can justify taking a break from the job searching - you know, just to "take a step back and review my options". Perfect plan!

(But if you decide that you actually want to get a job - stop trying so hard. Be open-minded and flexible, but also be confident and self-assured in the way you conduct yourself. Believe you're someone that has some value to offer - and then behave accordingly).

So there you go - 5 ways NOT to get a job this summer. 5 ways to ensure you can spend more time improving your golf swing, watching reality TV and seeing how many juicers and useless knives you can buy from those awful shopping channels.
 
(But if you'd like to find a job in less time and with less stress, do the exact opposite of these 5 points and you'll stand a much better chance of succeeding).

By Sital Ruparelia from 6 Figure Career Management

The FRUSTRATION List

Frustration! I hear the word daily. My clients tell me they're frustrated about this and frustrated about that. And The Frustration List seems to be getting longer, not shorter. For my clients, I have prepared a few ideas to deal with this F-word called frustration, along with feedback from job seekers regarding some of their frustrations -- they're in bold below. Feel free to add your own positive, constructive F-word to this list and pass it along if you like...

F irst, clear your head about the past and deal with today's reality which is to start over, even though you "never dreamed things would be like this."

F orgive yourself, the former boss, business unit, executive team, HR, the recruiter, corporate, or whomever else you might blame for your plight..."Why did they let me go after all the years I gave to them?"

F ocus on what you need to do and do it. Don't keep talking, fretting and stewing about what you need to do...just do something - today. No one else can do this for you. (I am shocked that it's this tough to find a new job.)

F ear not, for that will only stymie you and stall you. (Some days I feel absolutely paralyzed by fear and how I'll pay the bills.)

F rank Robinson quote: "Pitchers did me a favor when they knocked me down. It made me more determined. I wouldn't let that pitcher get me out. They say you can't hit if you're on your back, but I didn't hit on my back. I got up."

F aith in self and others that you will find a new opportunity, even though it might not be exactly what you had in mind. (If I hadn't lost my job, I never would have started my business.)

F iddle around with some new ideas and different thinking. If you think you have exhausted all ideas, ask someone, anyone...how do you get ideas? (So overwhelmed, I sit at the computer and draw a complete blank.)

F lat out refuse to give up or quit trying or stay stuck. (It's been five months and I have no idea where to turn or what to do next.)

F ind someone who cares about you, who will listen to you whine and complain and then like (love) you enough to kick you in the backside to get up, get out and get going. (All I want to do is hide -- the idea of going to one more networking event -- ugh!)

F ace the reality that the job you had may not be the job you'll have in the future. (I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up - I'm 47 and jobless.)

F igure out a plan and a goal for each day and then execute. At day's end, evaluate. (When I was working, I knew what was expected of me...now it's up to me and I'm lost.)

F lip negative thoughts to positive ones. On a piece of paper, make a list of 25 positive things you can do (that don't cost $$$) when you find yourself getting down, discouraged and depressed. (These past few months, my self-esteem has evaporated and I don't feel like me anymore.)

F orget about what was and focus on what can be in the tomorrows of your life. (I always thought I'd retire from XYZ, so now what?")

F ailures and flops can produce fantastic and fabulous results in the future. (I am so afraid of failing -- again.)

F ree yourself of messages and scripts that don't work anymore and realize that it's Have Skills - Will Travel! (No one told me that the rules changed.)

Fire up with enthusiasm and energy. No matter how many cheerleaders you have on your side, finding your own internal drive, determination, motivation and perseverance rests within you. (I am exhausted, overwhelmed and have no interest in doing any of this...)

F uel your engine by helping someone else -- your buddy, your friend, your neighbor, a former colleague. Reach out; volunteer. (Couldn't stand staying at home feeling sorry for myself...volunteered a few hours per week at a place and they knew somebody who needed someone like me -- that's how I got hired!)

FRUSTRATION is your foe, not your friend, when you are desperately and diligently trying to find that next new thing...what is your biggest frustration right now in your job search?

crossed-posted at billiesucherblog

The 11 Day Job Search

In my opinion, one of the nicest features of social media is the "web of support" one can develop. Today, I'm pleased to share with you the story of Brian Ward, a college classmate of mine whose innovative job search was just written up by Time Magazine.

Brian recently found himself joining the ranks of the unemployed. As a father of three and primary breadwinner, He knew he had to act fast. He landed on his feet after receiving a job offer in only 11 days through a lead from a former colleague on Facebook.

As a career coach and resume writer, I view this as an "extreme happy outcome" and one which cannot be expected in every search.

After all, for most job seekers,  the search is a process--not a transaction. Ultimately, where you choose to work is a mutually selective process: you pick your employer and your employer picks you. Pick the wrong job and you'll end up spending your days humming the Avenue Q song "For Now" instead of whistling while you work. Brian got lucky--he found his match early, and he found a position that aligned with his skills and interests.

Putting the role of good fortune aside, Brian made five smooth moves that helped luck play into his favor:

1. He developed and maintained strong relationships before he needed them. Brian and I became re-acquainted on Twitter last fall. (We were casual acquaintances in college.) He demonstrated an interest in my work long before his layoff, and we exchanged a few quick messages that went beyond the standard LinkedIn "I'd like to add you to my network invitation." He did the same with many others.

2. He reacted to his layoff by admitting what he didn't know. Before Brian widely publicized that he had lost his job, he researched how to present his skills. He credits a LinkedIn webinar from Lewis Howes for helping him develop a strong online profile.

3. He carefully crafted his message before going mainstream. Armed with suggestions from friends in the industry and expert advice, Brian created a consistent online presence across multiple platforms from LinkedIn to Facebook and Twitter.

4. He was clear about what he was looking for, but he recognized that leads may come from an unlikely source. Brian's strategy included a clear call for help ("this is what I'm looking for") and an expansive approach (he expanded his membership in LinkedIn groups to include indirect business affiliations, such as his college fraternity).

5. He kept his friends and contacts in the loop during his search, and thanked them regularly. By updating his community, Brian let others know of his progress--and how he could help them in return.

You can read about Brian's initial setback and subsequent success in Time; he hopes his story will help you land on your feet, too.

Do you have any additional smooth moves to share?

Is the Resume Dead?

This post by Michael at Human Race Horses makes an argument that I hear often. In these days of social media and web-based job search, can a resume really do the job? Michael thinks not:

Another personal reason for wanting to kill my resume is that in looking at this little historical snapshot from so long ago - slightly over two years - it is is really shocking to realize that it does nothing to communicate anything at all about me that I would want to put out if I were job searching. It doesn't effectively reflect: * extensive skills in social media * knowledge and expertise of Hr and how it applies to today's work environment * research skills, especially deep skills on the net * networking * blogging, writing and thought leadership

He wonders then whether he shouldn't scrap his resume in favor of online profiles where he can better communicate these skills. But this is the part of the 'resume is dead' argument that I don't understand.

People say to me all the time "I can't capture who I am in a resume" and I always ask them the same question: Why not? Is it because words are just not adequate to describe the wonder that is you? Unlikely!

More likely it's because you are being limited by what you imagine a resume should be. If you step outside the box (sorry for the cliche!) a little, you might see lots of ways to convey who you are and what you have to offer a company.

For example, Michael could begin with a summary that outlines the skills he mentioned above, complete with links where appropriate, but then he could go on to provide evidence of these skills through action-oriented achievement stories and even by quoting testimonials from LinkedIn, or thank you letters from blog readers, or by listing training he's completed or e-books he's written, or by numerous other means to show that he is indeed a thought leader in his field.

If his resume were to do all that, it would generate phone calls and interviews.

As for the web profiles, it doesn't have to be either/or. I like to end my client's resumes with a section called 'on the web' or 'learn more' where I list their career-related web profiles and/or blogs. It can also be effective to add the statement 'feel free to google my name for more information' to either your resume or cover letter - nothing conveys more confidence than telling people to go look you up.

I'm not defending the resume because I make my living writing resumes - after all, if resumes go away, I'll probably make my living writing web profiles instead. I'm just not sure that the answer to an outdated style of resume writing is to blow up the entire concept of resumes. At least, not yet.

Cross-posted on Blue Sky Blog

Looking for a Job? Think Like a "PI"

Have you considered a career as a private investigator (PI), private detective, or private eye? Maybe you have; maybe you haven't, however, as it relates to you and your job search, I would encourage you to tap into your PI skills and put them to work pronto!

What is a private detective, anyway? According to Dictionary.com, private detective is a noun, originating in 1865 - 1870, that means "a detective who is not a member of an official force but is employed by private parties." (Translated: in a job search, you are the private party hiring your PI self -- pro bono at that!)

When it comes to looking for a new job, have you considered applying your PI skills to solve the case? What, if any, PI skills do you possess? (Go ahead and make a list.) Recently, I asked a "real" private detective to share some thoughts on looking for a job: think like a detective. Listed below are a few ideas shared from the detective's perspective:

• Emphasize active listening. Listening is really important to understanding. The main thing is to "seek first to understand...then to be understood" as in Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Candidates who listen well will observe well and can figure out how they fill a niche.
• Use a problem-solving approach to solve someone else's problem. Ask -- how can I do that? If you solve problems for the boss and for the organization, all will go well. Don't create problems, solve them.
• Keep an open mind. Don't get locked into narrow thinking in the early stages. That said, once you know the truth, stay focused and follow your instincts. Pursue every detail in a methodical, persistent manner, and with determination.
• Take necessary educated risks. Take risks that you can justify. Make sure you can justify your thoughts and processes to an independent third party so that person would understand.
• Always sell yourself. Maybe most important is this point of sell yourself. Build a trusting relationship. Be human, be real and let them see your strengths. Let them see you as a reasonable person.

So, how about it? Are you ready to put your Sherlock or Magnum or Miss Marple skills to work? Are you ready to go solve the job search mystery that may have others stumped?

posted by: billiesucher

Your Resume Sucks If...

In my practice, I meet the coolest, greatest, most wonderful people ever. Today, for example, I met a sales executive who started the conversation with "I think my resume sucks" and I chuckled because I've heard this expression several times before. I mentioned that her words would make a good title for a blog post, then we both laughed and went about our business. Thanks to her wit, I am writing this blog post. You will know your resume sucks if...

* a hiring manager can't tell what you want to do after perusing your resume.

* you yourself want to throw it in the garbage. 

* it's loaded with buzzwords and blather.

* it sounds like someone else wrote it.

* it isn't a rock-solid representation of you and your brand.

* it's a boring recollection of your past.

* it looks like a template.

* it doesn't prove to the reader why you can do what you say you're interested in doing.

* it contains negative-sounding language, mistakes or irrelevant information. 

* it gets absolutely zero responses.

posted by: billiesucher

"Why should I care what you had for lunch?"

You shouldn’t, but the mini blog, Twitter, with its tiny tweets (140 character limit), can do a lot more than blather on about inconsequential events. Twitter can establish you as a player in your field, either as a thought leader or as an involved contributor. In fact, in my opinion, Twitter eats Facebook’s lunch in terms of job search.

Twitter allows you to search for the content that’s relevant to your industry and/or function as well as to search for jobs, recruiters, and job search advice. You can follow just a few tweeters or thousands to find out what’s happening. People will ask permission to follow you.

Although you just have 140 characters, you will have the opportunity to communicate valuable information by leveraging the links within your tweets. You can link to online articles, blog postings, and other sites that you think would be useful to your followers.

Recruiters and hiring managers watch Twitter. You want to be sure your participation is professional in content, because anything that is in poor taste (!) can rule you out, just as a consistently professional brand can rule you in.

If you want to proactively search for jobs advertised on Twitter, you can do that. You can also go to websites that aggregate job openings found on Twitter. Sample tweet: “Go to www.TwitterJobSearch.com, www.twithire.com, or www.tweetmyjobs.com to see if there is a job for you.”

Make Twitter part of your daily diet to build your brand and find job leads.

Management Consulting is Still Growing (as of the Spring of 2009)

Management Consulting is still growing, even in the depths of our current recession. Marketing Consulting is also growing, as are others. In fact, some consulting industries appear to be recession-proof, including Process and Logistics Consulting.

For unemployed job-seekers, consulting (or project work) can help them get through the current recession while still looking for a full-time job.

If you’d like to try consulting, don’t look for a "job," look for "work." This gives employers a choice of bringing you on board as a temporary, part-time or regular full-time employee – or as a consultant or contract employee. Since many employers are hesitant to add full-time staff during a recession, this can make you more attractive and give you more opportunities.

If you line up two or three part-time consulting gigs (say one day a week each), and bill properly, you can make more money than a full time job. Then, if one of your consulting gigs stops, you have not lost your entire revenue stream, and can regroup to find another one-day-a-week consulting gig to fill your plate. To see the current trends for eight different consulting industries, go to http://jobbait.com/a/solo.html.

How to Write a Great Resume - Free Online Course

I don't usually write blog posts touting things I've done, but I'm pretty proud of my new website, which is a free membership site for anyone struggling to craft a compelling resume. 

The site can be found at smartsearchsystem.com.

There you'll find resume writing and job search lessons, a gallery of resume samples and a discussion forum. Lessons are applicable to people at all levels, from entry-level to executive, and are available to read online, listen to as MP3s, or download as PDFs to read offline.

Learn more or sign-up here. 

And if you do become a member, we'd love your help in getting our discussion forum started. The site has been buzzing since our soft launch just a few days ago, and we are signing up new members every day, but very few people are comfortable jumping in to an empty forum. If you're not the shy type, how about helping us get the conversation started over there? (For the first few months, I'll be hanging out on the forum answering resume and job search questions, and as the site grows, we'll invite more experts to participate).

Look forward to seeing you at Smart Search!

How To Change Your Results By Changing Your Strategy

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"
- Albert Einstein

I love hanging out in cafes and coffee shops - well actually anywhere with sofas: hotel lounges, swanky bars, the gym. In fact, I do most of my writing on the Blackberry whilst sitting on a sofa somewhere.

A few days ago I was sitting in a very nice central London cafe enjoying my cappuccino and newspaper when I saw a fly a few feet away from me by the window. It caught my eye as it was furiously trying to get out of the coffee shop by constantly smashing against the window.

Every time it hit the window it fell to the window sill before buzzing and rolling around madly. It would crawl around for a few seconds and build up some energy before flying up at the window determined to get out, only to smash into the glass once again with same result.

"Are you insane?" I thought to myself. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to get out was, to me, ridiculous.

But if Freddie the Fly (I'm sure it was a male fly) shifted just 4 feet to the side, he would have been able to fly out of the coffee shop effortlessly through the open door!

After watching him for 5 minutes I decided to go over and help Freddie out the door (I partly felt sorry for him, but also his buzzing was driving me nuts).

So I went over and gently helped steer him out of the coffee shop through the open door with my newspaper. After initially resisting my help by buzzing furiously and staring at me in a stubborn 'leave me alone, I can do this myself' way (...see, I told you it was a male fly!), he realised I was trying to help him and gave in to my support.

Within a few seconds, he was flying out the front door effortlessly into the sky.

Faced with same glass window, what the poor little fly needed wasn't more determination and hard work, but a different strategy and a little bit of help.

I see lots of people doing exactly what Freddie the Fly did. They keep doing the same things over and over again in the false belief that they'll get different results if they just work hard.

But despite trying so hard to achieve a career goal, they keep hitting glass windows and ceilings. They get frustrated, angry, disheartened, but then get back up and try the same strategy and tactics over again in the misguided belief that being determined, focused and trying hard is what will deliver the results.

Sound familiar?

Instead of doing the same insane thing over again, what you could is:
 
1. Step away from the window or problem
Step away from your situation. Go for a walk, take a weekend away - just stop trying and do whatever will help you temporarily switch off.

2. Calm down
My best ideas come effortlessly when I'm relaxed and stress free. Which is why I end up doing most of my writing in relaxing environments like coffee shops. Being stressed and frustrated instantly kills your ability to be creative in finding solutions. 
 
3. Look for a different route
Whether you're looking for a new job, career change, freelance work or simply trying to be more effective in your current role, there is always a different route. And often it's effortless - like the open doorway for Freddie.

4. Allow others to help you
When we're frustrated, we often let our pride and ego take over. But when we allow others to help us like the fly eventually did with me, it often allows them to gently guide us towards a doorway that we can't see because we're so close to the problem. 
 
5. Think about a different destination or goal
Sometimes the glass window teaches us that it's time to change direction completely. A different kind of job, a different kind of career, a different kind of client. The fly could have turned around and enjoyed the coffee shop full of sticky cakes and pastries before flying out the back door. Can you maybe look at a different direction? 
 
It was very easy for me to look at the fly and think it was insane. But that's because I could see the problem from a different perspective and so couldn't understand why the fly was having such a hard time.

If you get caught up in a similar pattern, just stop and look at taking a different approach and try to find someone who may have a different perspective on your predicament.

As Einstein would say, to keep doing the same thing is just insane. 

By Sital Ruparelia

An Emmy Winner on How to Be an Expert

Sometimes the best way to present your own skills is to get help in the process.

Many years ago, I worked for a Dean of an Engineering School with an unusual take on areas of weakness: essentially, he thought many self-improvement campaigns should be derailed. He was a strong believer in developing your natural strengths--and in finding experts in your area of weakness to help you manage areas where you have a skill deficit.

I enjoy music and love hearing the spoken word. I am also relatively tech savvy. But when I decided to test out a podcast and turned on the user friendly Garage Band application through my iMac, I quickly decided it was more than I could quickly learn and use. (Did I mention that I scored very low on a "pitch test" of my musical hearing ability?)

I decided to seek the help of an expert. Enter Rob Blatt of Blattcave Productions. Rob is an audio engineer extraordinaire. He shares three Emmys, an Academy Award, and a Peabody Award with former colleagues. Rob and I sat down for two hours, and I walked away with a podcast episode that sounded better than I could have done in two years. (Thanks, Rob!)

In a very short time, Rob taught me some of the essential elements of great podcasting: Speak slower than usual. Use short sentences for emphasis. And--my personal favorite--it is okay to talk with your hands while you record, especially since movement allows personality to come through in your voice.

Rob not only enjoys podcast production; he also teaches people how to use social media through programs including New York's recent LaidOffCamp. Given that Rob's area of expertise spans both production and content management, I asked him to share advice for job seekers who want to establish themselves as an expert. Given his background, it's not surprising that his first piece of advice is:

1. Start a Podcast that Shows Your Interest and Expertise

Talk about topics you know and have a passion for discussing about it. "When you share your knowledge and passion, your voice will give away your enthusiasm. That's an audience draw."

2. Don't Just Talk About It, Write About It

"Any proper podcast needs to be associated with a blog," Rob explains. "Between episodes of your podcast, you should share content related to your show...and advertise your podcast on your blog."

3. Don't Just Talk About Your Ideas: Share

Rob is a big believer in promoting other people; he says being magnanimous has side benefits.

Sharing ideas of others allows you to show that you are comfortable with your area of expertise.

It shows that you are an expert and know how to cultivate knowledge sharing and that you are not afraid to show that other people have knowledge as well. You need to build trust with your audience.

A special shout-out to Rob for sharing his expertise with us. Do you have any additional "expert tips" or  questions for Rob?

5 Steps To Handling The Self Critic After An Interview (…or a Teleclass)

They say we often teach the things we need to learn the most. I’m not sure who ‘they' are but I think they’re right.

I’ve just got off the phone from delivering a teleseminar about how to find a job. Whilst, on the whole, it went well - my self critical mind went into over drive straight after I finished.  

Immediately after the call, I started focussing on all the things that didn’t go well (we had some technical problems with the phone line at the start of the call, I over ran by 10 minutes at the end, I spoke too fast towards the end as I was trying cram in all the content and forgot to mention some stuff I’d planned to cover) – all of which began to make me feel a little ‘flat’ and, in that split second, decide that I didn’t want to deliver any further teleclasses in the future. 

I realised it was completely irrational and hit the pause button quickly so that I could walk my talk and follow the same 5 steps I ask my clients to follow after an interview: 

1. Write down the top 5 things you did really well during the interview 

2. Write down the biggest lesson you learned (only ONE)

3. Decide on the one or two things you will do differently next time you interview (the one or two things that will make the biggest difference to your success)

4. Go and do something completely different that’s unrelated to interviews so that your brain gets to switch off

5. Share your lesson with others so that you create some self accountability in following through with it

When you go through these steps after an interview, it allows you to:

- Stop over focussing on all the things that didn’t go so well (e.g. a question you answered badly)
- Take confidence from all the things that went well
- Be rational in putting errors and lessons into context
- Ensure you are continously learning and improving until you’re successful

I can assure you that if you followed theses 5 steps after every single interview, you will get better and more effective at interviews before finally landing the right role. It’s a science.

The same thing applies to me and the teleclass. When I went through these steps, I realised that whilst it could have been better in parts, the content and delivery was generally good - I had offered some really valuable job search ideas and advice that most people would get some value from.

That instantly motivated me to think about doing more teleseminars and keep working on improving myself and the content. I did a complete 180 degree turn within 10 minutes – which is exactly what happens when people follow these steps after interviews. Done the right way, it's that quick.

Having now shared the lesson with you (step 5), I’m off to the gym to complete step 4 - do something completely different!

Enjoy the weekend

By Sital Ruparelia

 

Spring Cleaning

The last few days I have been cleaning out my office in preparation for new carpet and new paint, a total spring clean up to be sure. Everything had to be out of my office by last Friday -- hundreds of books, files, and memorabilia accumulated during 17 years at my present location. Needless to say, my office was in absolute chaos -- boxes, bags, articles, papers, notes, pens, pencils, poems, articles and business cards galore -- what a mess.

As I was shredding, dumping and packing stuff, it occurred to me that while it is a huge chore to clean up my office, it's a much bigger chore to look for a new job. In the end, though, the results will hopefully be worth the time, energy, effort, and commitment. Have you considered doing some spring cleaning as it pertains to your job search?

Dump irrelevant information on your resume. Eliminate boring text. Shred your old resume if you think it's a less than stellar representation of you and start over. Toss out tired, overworked words and replace with strong language that supports your target goal. For example, if you're going after a Customer Service Manager job, insert customer service management-sounding language in your resume. Align your qualifications to match the employer's job requirements. Make it easy for the reader to notice how well your skill set matches their needs.

Polish your interviewing skills. If it's been a while since you have been in "the hot seat," now is not the time to practice on the employer. If you can't find someone to practice with you, practice with yourself. Stand in front of a mirror, ask yourself questions and answer them to the best of your ability. Notice if you're smiling; notice if you sound confident; notice how the practice helps! At first, it may seem a little strange to practice this way; however, the more you practice your responses, the better prepared you'll be when you get a chance to deliver your lines at a real interview. 

Get rid of a potty mouth prior to engaging in interview conversation. Poor grammar, slang and profanity will not score you points in an interview with a recruiter, hiring manager, or other decision-making authority. Speak well and it will serve you well.

Discard tattered, worn or ill-fitting clothes and shoes. Wear clothes that are clean and well-pressed when you go to an interview. I vividly recall a few years ago screening two talented candidates (both males) for a Director of Sales job. My male colleague and I liked both candidates equally well and then, just like that, the one candidate did himself in. He did so by contradicting himself in a weird sort of way...he was telling us he was really good with details, nothing got by him, and that he always followed through. During our lengthy chat, he removed his suit jacket and much to our surprise, his entire shirt, short of the very front part and shirt cuffs, was full of wrinkles. Apologetically, he told us that he'd ironed only the places visible to the eye. Details, details, details.

Remove any digital dirt that someone may find if they perform a Google search on your name. Google thyself and if by chance you find damaging information that you're unable to remove on your own, engage the services of a firm such as Reputation Defender to see what, if anything, they can do to help your plight.

Abandon outdated job search strategies no longer applicable to today's competitive job search world. If you aren't using 21st century job search practices, you are doing yourself a great disservice. There are numerous resources, starting here with these free Career Hub e-books, to assist you in this endeavor.

Let go of a negative attitude and any angry, bitter feelings and emotions. While it's your choice to drag negativity around with you - here, there, everywhere - it simply won't serve a useful purpose in executing your mission of finding new employment as expeditiously as possible. Delete negative-sounding language from your thinking and from your conversation. Do you have a problem or do you have an opportunity? Do you view transition as a chance to start over, or a stumbling block to your future? Do you speak of your former employer in positive terms, or do you have disdain in your voice when speak of them?

Shed a "victim" perspective ~ you're a job loss survivor! You will find another place of employment. You will find another job. And if you can't find an employer who is willing to hire you right now, how about hiring yourself and starting a business? Imagine all of the possibilities instead of all the impossibilities.

Reject the negative images and messages that surround you on a daily basis. Decide that you will move forward no matter what and resist the temptation to buy in to how bad things are, how awful the economy is, and how terrible it is to be in transition. The bottom line ~ someone, somewhere, somehow got a job today. And it might as well be you tomorrow!

Meanwhile, back to more spring cleaning...

posted by: billiesucher

In Hindsight, I Should Have...

The Boston Sunday Globe and Monday's Wall Street Journal both have articles about people who have been laid off from their jobs and are turning to entrepreneurship to try to make a living. In most cases, they have to invest a lot of their own (and other people's) money to fund the startups. Then they go through a period of time when they are earning significantly less than they did in their corporate jobs. In several of the examples, the newly minted entrepreneurs may never earn as much as they did before they were laid off, although job satisfaction appears to be generally high. 

The recession has taught us a lot about how insecure our investments and employment can be. And people have learned to be creative about employment alternatives, given the fact that they may not be able to find a job in their (now-dried-up) areas of expertise. 

It struck me that, in the case of career changers as well as entrepreneurs, keeping fixed living costs on the low side (mortgages, rents, cost of cars/transportation etc.) gives them the flexibility to go with a lower paying job or launch a business in response to a volatile job market. It may be that a silver lining of this difficult time is that people will spend less, save more, and, in some cases, seek job fulfillment over financial benefits. 

If even Warren Buffett didn't see this one coming, perhaps the rest of us should plan our lives in a way that allows for down as well as up markets, lean as well as flush times, winter as well as summer, droughts as well as abundantly rainy conditions. And to consider planning our lives in such a way that we are not so wedded to a high-salary lifestyle that we can't change careers or break out on our own to find the job fulfillment we've always wanted.  

Matters of Mothers

As Mother's Day draws near, I can't help but think of my own mother and all of the other mother figures who have helped shape and mold my professional career and my personal life. I am ever-grateful for my Mother's wisdom, teachings and unconditional love. No matter where I am age-wise, my Mother is my anchor, my rock, my comforter, and my one and only Mother, Mom, Mama, and Madre.

And even though I have long been grown up, I will always be her "girl" who makes her proud, who makes her laugh and who she still "shows off" to her friends who can't hear, don't care, or don't have a clue about whose daughter I am..."that's my girl" she'll tell them and I absolutely cherish our times together! My mother - the one who for years has told me good-bye in one breath and then wants a definitive answer to "when will you be home again?" in the next.

Contemplating this post, it occurred to me that some of my most valuable life (and career) lessons weren't "said" to me as much as they were "shown" to me by my mother and the many other female influencers I have been blessed enough to know along life's way. I learned from them, by them, through them, and with them as my magnificent role models. A few things my Mother, and the many others, taught me along the road of life...

• If you want it badly enough, you will figure it out.
• You can count your true friends on one hand.
• The only kind of dirt you need is the kind you can wash off.
• Put on your thinking cap; use your noggin'.
• No use crying over spilled milk.
• Education is the key to your future.
• Get to know the great composers, artists and poets of the world.
• You screw it up, you fix it up.
• Appreciate the beauty of classical music.
• The cows don't care if you're in a bad mood or a good mood; they still need to be milked.
• Don't compare yourself to anyone else.
• Putter around.
• Treat others the way you want to be treated.
• Like it or lump it.
• Be a good reader and don't sing-song your words.
• Everybody puts their shoes on the same way you do.
• Don't settle unless it's what you want.
• Hard work won't hurt you.
• No excuses.
• Somebody else will always have more than you do, so don't worry about it.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers who have made you - you! Feel free to share a thought or two about how your mother (or mother figure) helped shape you, your career and your professional life.

cross posted at www.billiesucherblog.com

Color and Personal Branding: Jump-start the Emotional Connection

Your personal brand has both logical and emotional components: what people THINK about you and what they FEEL about you. Of the two, emotion often trumps feeling in the final “buying” decision. In fact, in the sales world, it is commonly known that people buy based on feelings, and then justify their decision with logic. So, while you may be a job seeker with prime credentials, if you do not evoke a strong positive connection or feeling from interviewers, you may not be the candidate chosen.

How does this relate to colors? Well, colors are aligned with emotions. Cited in Why Color Matters, the Institute of Color Research  reports that a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or product is made within 90 seconds with 62-90% of that judgment based on color alone. In the Psychology Today Blogs, Maureen Healy (MBA and Masters in Clinical Psychology) writes in The Color of Emotion that “the connection between colors and feelings is probably the most simple and profound.” She goes on to add that “color connections are greatly influenced by culture” and explains that the color white can have very different meanings depending on whether viewed by someone from America or Taipei.

In addition, colors can have differences depending on shade, tone, and intensity. Explore Color Meaning further to discover some of those subtleties. For example, my personal brand color is a pure green. It denotes nature, growth, harmony, and safety – all themes that resonate with me, my personal brand attributes of caring, genuine, and connected, and my preferred work environment (the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin). However, dark green may be associated with greed and jealousy!

The following resources relay even more on how color relates to your personal brand and marketing yourself:

Using Color to Express Your Brand – video by William Arruda, founder of Reach Personal Branding
The Exact Science of Personal Branding – blog post by Dave Saunders, celebrated speaker, radio show host and business start-up strategist.

What color are you drawn to? Explore the variations of that color and the feelings associated with it. Which color will attract your target audience and still reflect the unique you? Keep in mind cultural differences and industry niches to avoid a major faux pas. Then test-drive your color in all of your self-marketing efforts and pay attention to responses you get. Learn from the feedback, refine, and boldly express and exude your color with confidence knowing that the emotional connections you make will advance your job search from anonymity to A-list.

Cross-posted at Career Goddess Blog